1:00 pm

Tue January 24, 2012

Fox Plans Spanish-Language Network

Fox is getting into the lucrative Spanish language TV market here in the U.S. They're putting together a broadcast network that will begin airing this fall.

As NPR's Elizabeth Blair reports, it's a partnership with RCN, a Colombian television company.

ELIZABETH BLAIR, BYLINE: RCN is a major producer and exporter of Spanish-language programming. They're the ones who created the original "Ugly Betty."

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UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: (Foreign language spoken)

UNIDENTIFIED MAN #1: (Foreign language spoken)

BLAIR: Fox International has partnered with RCN to take advantage of the growing Latino market in the U.S., and because they believe MundoFox can do better than the Spanish programming that's currently available, says Fox International's Hernan Lopez.

HERNAN LOPEZ: We think there's an untapped opportunity for viewers that want to see television, but they're just not happy with the kind of programming that is available to them.

JUAN TORNOE: It's really a very interesting contender for Univision and Telemundo. I was very impressed.

BLAIR: Juan Tornoe heads up the marketing consulting firm Cultural Strategies. He thinks with such a major corporation supporting it, MundoFox could be a game changer for the Latino market in the U.S.

TORNOE: It's bigger than some small nations. It's very interesting and it will continue to grow.

BLAIR: And Tornoe offers the new network a challenge.

TORNOE: I really truly would like MundoFox to show more thought than cleavage.

BLAIR: One of the shows to be featured on MundoFox is called "Kdabra."

LOPEZ: And that's a fantasy and religion-themed weekly drama, with very high production values.

BLAIR: High production values and, says Lopez, starring one of Mexico's most popular actors, Christopher Uckermann.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SERIES "KDABRA")

CHRISTOPHER UCKERMANN: (as Luca) (Foreign language spoken)

BLAIR: MundoFox might give Univision and Telemundo some stiff competition. But they won't be easy to beat. Just last week, Univision out-performed CBS and NBC in the all-important 18 to 34 demographic, and that's with Telenovelas that don't look all that highly produced.

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UNIDENTIFIED MAN #2: (Foreign language spoken)

BLAIR: MundoFox is scheduled to launch this fall. Hernan Lopez says it will also carry news programming that he says will be independent from the American Fox News.